Bee Ag Exemption in Van Zandt County, TX
To qualify for a bee ag exemption in Van Zandt County, you need 5–20 acres of open land and 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres (about 12 hives at 20 acres), kept on site at least 7 months of the year. Timber Creek Bees places, manages, and documents the hives — you file Form 50-129 with Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) by April 30.
Reviewed by Hayden - Timber Creek Bees
Commercial beekeeper - 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas Counties.
What does Van Zandt County require for a bee ag exemption?
Van Zandt County's intensity standard: 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres (about 12 hives at 20 acres). Requirements are set by the Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) and can change — we verify the current standard before every installation, and our hive plans are built to meet it exactly.
✓ Verified directly with Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) — July 27, 2026.
We re-confirm every county's standard each season
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hives we manage in Van Zandt County
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Van Zandt County properties under our care
What would your land need — and save?
How honey bees qualify your land
The land qualifies — not you. Texas Property TaxCode §23.51 recognizes beekeeping as agricultural use. You don't have to become a beekeeper; you hire one. We own and manage the colonies on your property, and your land still qualifies.
Instead of taxing your land at market value, the county taxes its agricultural productivity value— commonly cutting the taxable value of qualifying land by 90% or more.
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Acreage: 5–20 acres of open land. A homestead typically carves out about an acre, so plan on 6–21 total if your house is on the tract.
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History: qualifying use for 5 of the past 7 years — savings usually start in Year 6. Already have an ag valuation from cattle or hay? Switch to bees immediately and keep it. No waiting.
How to get started
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Contact us for a Free assessment on your property
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We design a hive plan that meets your county's standard for your acreage.
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We place and manage the bees, and provide your documentation.
4. File Form 50-129 with Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) by April 30. We give you everything you need.
Late applications accepted until the appraisal roll is certified (typically mid-July) with a 10% penalty on the tax savings.
Why landowners choose Timber Creek Bees
Full Service Program
Completely hands-off for you — we provide the bees, place the hives, maintain them all season, replace any dead-outs, and hand you a detailed packet to submit at the end of the year.
Loss Protection
We replace losses at no extra cost — if a colony fails, we make it right, so your hive count and your valuation stay protected.
2,000+ Hives Managed
Local and experienced — based in Greenville, caring for over 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas counties in the Dallas, Austin, and Houston regions.
Filing Assistance
We walk you through the filing process, provide everything your county asks for, and stand behind you if a denial ever needs to be protested.
Appraisal District Compliance
We keep you compliant — proper hive counts, healthy colonies, and the documentation your appraisal district wants to see.
Hundreds of Properties Qualified Yearly
We've been at this a while. We know the counties, we know what they want, and we'll guide you through the whole process from first hive to approved valuation.
"We are very happy with their services and would recommend them to anyone wanting a no hassle way to Ag Exempt status." — Paul Lemmons, Google review
Your appraisal district
Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD)
Phone:
(903) 567-6171
Email:
Address:
27867 State Hwy. 64, Canton, TX 75103-9998
Changing to non-agricultural use triggers a rollback: Van Zandt County recaptures 3 years of tax savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hives do I need for an ag exemption in Van Zandt County?
Van Zandt County's standard (verified directly with the county appraisal district, July 2026): 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres (about 12 hives at 20 acres). Standards can change, so confirm with Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) at (903) 567-6171 - or let us place hives to spec and keep the records.
How many acres qualify for a beekeeping ag valuation in Van Zandt County?
Texas Tax Code limits beekeeping ag valuation to 5-20 acres of qualified open-space land. If your home sits on the tract, most districts carve out about 1 acre for the homestead, so plan on at least 6 total acres.
How long do the bees have to stay on my Van Zandt County property?
Van Zandt County requires colonies on site at least 7 months of the year. We place and manage your hives to that standard and a minimum of seven months out of the year, and we document every visit — so there's a dated record if the district asks for one.
When is the deadline to apply?
File Form 50-129 with Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) by April 30. Late applications are generally accepted until the appraisal roll is certified (typically mid-July) with a 10% penalty on the tax savings.
Do I have to keep the bees myself?
No. The land qualifies - not the landowner. You can hire a professional service to place, manage, and document the hives. That turnkey management is exactly what Timber Creek Bees does for Van Zandt County landowners.
What happens if I stop the agricultural use?
If land under 1-d-1 valuation changes to non-agricultural use, Van Zandt County can recapture 3 years of tax savings - the rollback tax. Keeping qualifying use continuous is what protects you.
Who is responsible for forage in Van Zandt County?
The district places responsibility for adequate forage on whoever manages the colonies — which, with a managed placement, is us. Van Zandt CAD requires colonies actively managed and on the property at least 7 months of the year, and its ag appraiser supplied the current intensity standards directly on July 27, 2026.
Do you service Canton, Wills Point and the rest of Van Zandt County?
Yes. Timber Creek Bees places and manages hives on qualifying land throughout Van Zandt County — Canton, Wills Point, Grand Saline, Van, Edgewood, Fruitvale, Edom, Ben Wheeler, Callender Lake, Myrtle Springs and Martins Mill. Your application is filed with Van Zandt County Appraisal District (VZCAD) wherever in the county your tract sits, and we handle the hive placement, the management and the records the same way across all of it. We are based in Greenville, Texas, and Van Zandt County is inside our regular service area.
Nearby counties we serve
Also serving nearby: Kaufman County, Rains County, Wood County, Smith County, Henderson County.
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